Factors Leading To Divorce and Level of Awareness in the Church: A Case of Africa Inland Church, Starehe Sub County, Nairobi County, Kenya
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to identify factors leading to divorce and level of awareness in the Church. It identified factors leading to divorce among families, and also examined the level of awareness of the type of support given to members by the Church. The study was conducted in Starehe Sub County in Nairobi County, targeting the Africa Inland church. Church leaders and members of the church were involved to give their views on problem of divorce and if there any strategies that the church has applied in addressing divorce. The research was built on the ecological system theory which look at five environments that human being interact which has great impact on once future and present life. The researcher used mixed research design. A mix research method is a procedure for collecting, analyzing and mixing both qualitative and quantitative research design and methods in a single study to understand research problem. A purposive sampling was used to select a sampling frame consisting of those members who have been divorced between the age of 18 and above 50. The main data collection tools included questionnaires, interview schedules and focus group discussion. The findings of the research were analyzed using computer packages such as Micro Soft Excel that enable researchers to come up with recommendations for adoptions by relevant stakeholders to address these challenges. The study established that unfaithfulness within families tops the reasons for divorce in the church with more than a half (54%) of respondents agreeing to it. The second most important factor was financial differences at (15%). While misunderstanding scored (13%) however, culture, drug and alcohol become last in the list scoring (9%). Many of the divorced members came into conclusion that the church is in campaigns to make sure people in the church are aware of the divorce issues and its consequences. The study recommended that there is need for the church to instill values for a Christian marriage. Although the church is often not directly to impose on society laws and customs it finds compatible with Scripture, it has a solemn duty to instill or teach members of the church and the society at large, what God also says about Christian union between husband and wife.
Keywords: Divorce, Level of Awareness, Africa Inland Church, Starehe Sub County, Nairobi County & Kenya.
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